NOC 72321: Insulators
What insulators do
Insulators apply insulation materials to plumbing, air-handling, heating, cooling and refrigeration systems, piping equipment and pressure vessels, and walls, floors and ceilings of buildings and other structures, to prevent or reduce the passage of heat, cold, sound or fire. They are employed by construction companies and insulation contractors, or they may be self-employed. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Read and interpret drawings and specifications to determine insulation requirements and select type of insulation required
- Measure and cut insulating material to required dimensions using hand and power tools
- Apply and secure insulation using spraying, blowing, pasting, strapping, taping and other application and installation methods
- Fit insulation around obstructions and between studs and joists
- Install vapour barriers
- Apply waterproofing cement over insulating materials to finish surfaces
- Remove asbestos or urea-formaldehyde insulation from buildings when required.
Job titles under NOC 72321
24 job titles are classified here, including boiler and pipe insulator, building insulator, firestopping insulator.
- apprentice insulator
- asbestos insulator
- boat and ship insulator
- boiler and pipe insulator
- boiler insulator
- building insulator
- cork insulation installer
- fibreglass insulation installer
- fire protection insulator
- firestopping insulator
- foamed insulation applicator
- heat and frost insulator
- insulation applicator
- insulation installer
- insulation mechanic
- insulator
- insulator apprentice
- journeyman/woman insulator
- pipe insulator
- plastic insulation applicator
- refrigeration and air conditioning equipment insulator
- residential insulation installer
- sound insulator
- soundproof material installer
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in insulating is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
- Trade certification for insulators (heat and frost) is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified insulators (heat and frost) upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Insulators wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $23.00/hr | $37.61/hr | $48.65/hr |
Toronto ON | $20.00/hr | $33.96/hr | $48.65/hr |
Montréal QC | $26.00/hr | $31.17/hr | $44.79/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $23.00/hr | $32.00/hr | $44.34/hr |
Calgary AB | $23.00/hr | $35.20/hr | $50.00/hr |
Edmonton AB | $25.00/hr | $40.00/hr | $50.00/hr |
Ottawa ON | $22.00/hr | $32.20/hr | $47.06/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $20.05/hr | $28.00/hr | $35.25/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $26.33/hr | $43.00/hr | $46.92/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $22.97/hr | $40.00/hr | $50.00/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $22.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $48.65/hr |
London ON | $24.00/hr | $37.88/hr | $50.24/hr |
Victoria Vancouver Island and Coast region, BC | $25.00/hr | $36.72/hr | $49.04/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $21.75/hr | $39.19/hr | $47.06/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Newfoundland and Labrador | $25.00/hr | $40.36/hr | $51.00/hr |
Nova Scotia | $20.00/hr | $36.24/hr | $46.27/hr |
New Brunswick | $20.00/hr | $30.65/hr | $40.88/hr |
Quebec | $26.33/hr | $43.00/hr | $46.92/hr |
Ontario | $22.00/hr | $35.00/hr | $48.88/hr |
Manitoba | $20.00/hr | $30.00/hr | $36.42/hr |
Saskatchewan | $21.75/hr | $39.19/hr | $47.06/hr |
Alberta | $24.00/hr | $40.00/hr | $50.00/hr |
British Columbia | $23.82/hr | $32.50/hr | $45.99/hr |
Using NOC 72321 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 24 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Insulation supervisor (NOC 72014)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for insulators?
Insulators are NOC 2021 unit group 72321. Example job titles in this group include boiler and pipe insulator, building insulator, firestopping insulator, heat and frost insulator.
What TEER is NOC 72321?
NOC 72321 is TEER 2 (College diploma or apprenticeship (2+ years)). Usually requires a 2–3 year college program or a 2–5 year apprenticeship, or the occupation carries supervisory or significant safety responsibilities. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do insulators earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $37.61/hr, about $73,000 a year full-time, with a range of $23.00/hr to $48.65/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.